The structure of the title compound, [La(C5H7O2)3(H2O)2], has been redetermined to modern standards with anisotropic displacement parameters for all non-H atoms and the hydrogen-bonding pattern unambiguously established [for the previous study, see Phillips et al. (1968 ▶). Inorg. Chem. 7, 2295-2299]. The La(3+) ion is coordinated by three O,O'-bidentate acetyl-acetate (acac(-)) ligands and two water mol-ecules, resulting in a fairly regular square-anti-prismatic LaO8 coordination geometry, with both aqua ligands part of the same square face. In the crystal, the neutral complex mol-ecules are linked into [110] chains by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.